


Going on a Toy Hunt

by Fire_Bear



Series: Walking in a Winter Wonderland [13]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Presents, Christmas Shopping, First Meetings, M/M, Stuffed Toys, Teddy Bears, Toys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 17:56:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13128882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fire_Bear/pseuds/Fire_Bear
Summary: Antonio is looking for a present for his goddaughter - maybe he'll find help from Arthur, the owner of theToy Box...





	Going on a Toy Hunt

**Author's Note:**

> Angelette is Seychelles.

Antonio had been looking in every shop before he found one he hoped would have the perfect present.

His best friend's daughter had turned five that year and Christmas had come up. They'd all been keeping an eye out and an ear open to figure out what she wanted from Santa. But Angelette was a sweet girl and when she'd written her letter to Santa, she'd asked for world peace, good food and for her godfathers to 'find boys to love'. Both Antonio and Gilbert had been floored by how sweet she was and had scooped her up to take her for ice cream. Francis had tried his best to extract what she wanted from her but all she said was that Santa would figure it out.

All of them were panicked. Or, all of them had been. Apparently, Francis had gotten her a bunch of stuff, both from himself and Santa. Gilbert had managed to find 'the best gift _ever_ '. Antonio was the only one of their trio left to find one and he was beginning to get desperate.

Of course, there were plenty of toys and play kits and large garden sets that would appeal to a young girl. He'd seen them all at every conceivable price. Nothing stood out to him as being perfect. There had been dolls, both soft and hard, ones which could cry and ones which could pee. Alongside them had been the tiny prams and buggies that they could buy to put one in. Doll's houses were fitted out with TVs and computers. Cuddly toys were everywhere but they all looked the same and nothing looked like something Angelette would carry around with her. Video games weren't something she'd become infatuated with.

Giving up for the day, Antonio wandered down a road he didn't usually walk down – the pavements were crowded with people and he hoped he could get home quicker. He was surprised to see that there were an odd few shops dotted along the street. A lot of them had their shutters drawn down. None of the ones open looked busy.

Bright colours caught his eye and he blinked at a small toy shop on the road opposite. The window frame and door were painted a bright red while the sign above was a bright, cheerful yellow. Large, white letters spelled out _Toy Box_. Once he'd crossed the road, Antonio looked into the window to see a wooden toy soldier, a moving robot, two differently coloured dolls sitting at a tea party and a plastic T-Rex which towered over tiny herbivores at its feet.

Antonio grinned at it. The window looked like a scene from his own childhood. Despite looking new, they seemed old-fashioned in a world where virtual reality was slowly becoming a thing. Squinting past the toys, he tried to see how busy it was. He frowned when he realised that he couldn't see anyone, only row upon row of toys.

Grimacing, Antonio checked the sign in the door, expecting to see it was closed. Instead, it declared itself open. Blinking, Antonio wondered if he should bother before he shrugged and pushed open the door. The jolly tinkle of a bell above the door made him smile; he felt it was appropriate for the time of year.

Inside, the small shop was stuffed full of toys. Every shelf around the edges of the room were filled with them. In the middle of the room were several tables. Each one had toys proudly displayed upon it. Teddies beckoned for someone to hug them while cars shot around on a track. Above his head, a train followed its own tracks, suspended above his head by wires. Christmas music quietly floated around him. At the back of the shop, doll's houses stood side by side as if they were replicating an actual street, each of them made of wood rather than plastic. In a corner of the room, some of the bigger and more intricate toys were protected by a counter which also stopped people from reaching another door into the back of the shop.

A man sat behind it, his attention completely held by a teddy bear that he seemed to be fixing, fingers expertly pushing and pulling at a needle. Messy blond hair sat atop his head. A pencil and a screwdriver was tucked behind his ear; Antonio briefly wondered if he would stick the needle there as well once he'd finished. His jumper was a Christmas one, which Antonio could only see clearly as he approached: tiny sausage dogs wearing scarves dotted the grey material. As he drew nearer, Antonio realised that the man was chewing at his lip as he focussed on his work.

The stranger stopped chewing for long enough to say, "Be with you in a minute." He didn't look up so Antonio watched him work. The needle flashed along one of the bear's lower paws. Antonio couldn't see where the damage was but it was quickly dealt with and, suddenly, the man was biting the string off. Finished, he placed the bear on the table and looked up, revealing his bright green eyes. "Hello," said the man with a polite smile. "How may I help you?"

"I'm looking for a Christmas present," Antonio explained.

There was a short pause. The man's smile fell a little. "I see. Anything in particular...?"

"Antonio."

"What?" asked the man, the smile gone and replaced with confusion.

"Ah, sorry," said Antonio with his own smile. "I thought you were asking for my name. I'm Antonio."

"Oh. Well. I'm Arthur. It's a pleasure to meet you." He paused for a moment. "Was there a particular toy you wanted, Mister Anton-"

"You don't need the 'mister'!" Antonio protested, waving his hands around.

"Right." Arthur paused again. "What is it you're wanting, Antonio?" he finally asked, clearly trying to keep himself polite if his strained expression was anything to go by.

"Er," said Antonio, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. He kept his grin on his face, though, and watched one of Arthur's eyebrow rise. "I'm not sure," Antonio admitted. "I'm trying to find something for my friend's daughter – my goddaughter – but I have no idea what to get her."

"Don't you have a list?"

"She asked Santa for things for other people." Antonio leaned on the counter, one hand propping him up, happy smile on his face. "She asked him to bring _me_ someone to love."

"That's... rather sweet," Arthur agreed. "So, you don't have any hints at all?"

"No, nothing. I mean, I want to get her some sort of toy. Nothing has been calling out to me as perfect, though."

"Maybe I could help," Arthur mused, tapping at his chin with a finger, his other hand bracing his elbow. "What sort of a girl is she?"

"She's an Angel," Antonio told him, beaming at Arthur, pleased at his little joke.

"Yes, I'm sure she is when _you're_ there," Arthur said, rolling his eyes. "She'll be good for her-"

"No, no!" Antonio cried, laughing at the confusion. "Her name's Angelette."

"Oh. I-I see," said Arthur, ducking his head down. "Well. Er... Sounds French."

"Her dad's from French roots. As was... her mum," Antonio trailed off, hoping Arthur wouldn't ask him to elaborate.

The shop assistant looked up, frown on his face. He had obviously caught what Antonio had implied. For a moment, he merely looked concerned. Then he seemed to shake himself. "So, she's literally an angel and she wants other people to be happy." Arthur hummed to himself, eyes taking in his own shop. "Does she like cuddling?"

Antonio considered this. "She does give a lot of hugs."

"Wait a moment, please," Arthur said and rounded the counter. Antonio's eyes were drawn downwards, taking in the navy jeans he wore, rips at one thigh and the other knee. A pair of black Converse were on his feet.

"Does your boss let you wear whatever you like?" Antonio asked as Arthur moved among the toys, trailing his fingers over the shelves.

Arthur glanced back at him over his shoulder, almost coyly. He smirked at Antonio; it made Antonio still, surprised. "I _am_ the boss," Arthur told him, turning back to what he was doing. "I _own_ this place. For now."

"'For now'?" asked Antonio once he'd gathered his wits.

Pausing, Arthur turned back to him, a pained expression on his face. "I can't afford a big place in the main streets or advertising. Nobody comes here." He gestured around the empty shop. "I'm losing more money than I'm making. I suppose it's only a matter of time before I have to give up the lease on this place. Then I'll be reduced to selling toys out of a box, like my great-great grandfather started off doing."

Antonio looked around at all the toys. "Maybe you could cut back on how many toys you bring in?"

For some reason, that made Arthur laugh. The genuine expression made him light up. Somehow, he looked like exactly the kind of person Antonio would expect to be selling toys. "I don't buy these," Arthur told him once he'd caught his breath. "I make all of them. I just order the parts or the materials."

"Wait, so..." Antonio turned back to the counter, gaping at the perfect teddy bear Arthur had left there. It was a soft, shaggy thing and looked extremely cuddly, with its cheerful face and perfectly proportional body. Antonio turned back to Arthur, still shocked. "Even the robot in the window?"

"Mm, mostly. A friend helps me with the electronic stuff if I make a mistake but, yes, mostly. I'm better at creating the clockwork toys – not that anyone wants them."

"That's... That's amazing! _You're_ amazing!" Antonio cried.

Arthur turned red. "Wha-? Don't... Don't be silly," he said, brushing it off as quickly as possible. Then he turned away, depriving Antonio from seeing how cute the man looked with a blush on his face. "Here," Arthur said, drawing two things from the shelf in front of him.

When he turned, Antonio found himself looking at soft doll, dressed in a Victorian-style dress, complete with bonnet. Its hair was red strings and its face was cheerful, its lips painted on its pale face in red. The arms were made from something stiff so that it held its arms out, beckoning someone in for a cuddle. In Arthur's other hand was a plastic bag filled with what Antonio assumed were clothes. Antonio pushed aside his awe in order to squint at them.

Moving past Antonio again, Arthur returned to the counter and set both items down beside the teddy. "The clothes in the bag are from different time periods.They'll all fit this doll but they might fit other ones she has? It'll just depend on how big or small they are."

"And you made her? And each one?" asked Antonio, gesturing at the bag.

"Yes," Arthur confirmed. When Antonio managed to tear his gaze away, he could see that Arthur looked rather amused. "It's not that difficult."

Antonio plucked at the doll's dress. "I couldn't have made something so beautiful."

Arthur's amusement swiftly changed into a bashful smile. "Yes, well... Would you like it?"

"Yes!" exclaimed Antonio, so loudly that it echoed. Arthur winced. "Sorry. But, yes, Angel will _love_ this – she'd love all of this!"

Chuckling, Arthur shook his head. "That would be rather expensive. This is all I have, after all, till I've made some more."

"How much for the doll?" Antonio inquired, drawing his wallet out from his coat pocket.

"The doll – with its current dress – costs forty pounds. The clothes cost thirty pounds, I'm afraid. I got a bit carried away making them..." Arthur grimaced apologetically.

"Perfect!" said Antonio, pulling the money out.

"What, really?" asked Arthur, awkwardly taking the money.

"Of course! How much for the teddy?"

"What teddy?" asked Arthur, counting out the money.

"That one," said Antonio, pointing at the one Arthur had just finished making.

"Wha-? That's not finished yet!" Arthur exclaimed.

"Really? It looks perfect."

"I've got clothes to put on it."

"Well, put them on him and I'll take him."

"I've not _made_ them yet!" Arthur protested.

"Then I'll buy him," Antonio declared, "and come back for him when he's ready!"

"I... That... But... That would be another twenty pou-" Antonio didn't let Arthur finish, thrusting the money at him. "I... I really can't-"

"You can," Antonio insisted. "And I'm telling everyone I know about this. Maybe Francis and Gilbert will come to buy another present for Angelette."

"That... You would do that?" asked Arthur in surprise.

"Of course," said Antonio. "This place is amazing."

"Oh," said Arthur. He turned his attention to the till, ringing up the purchases and slipping out Antonio's change. Once he'd gotten the doll in a bag, he handed it over. "I'll make sure to finish the teddy off in the next couple of days so if you can make it in on Friday, it might be ready."

"I'll see you then," Antonio told him, happily.

* * *

Antonio gazed at a little clockwork nativity scene which took up all the space in the window that Friday. The star rose from above the stable at the same time as Mary lowered the baby Jesus into his manger. While that happened, animals' heads moved in their own mangers, presumably eating whatever had been left for them. Outside of the stable, three kings moved across a shining desert landscape, shifting around and around, never getting close. On the other side, a hill stood where shepherds herded their sheep down towards the stable before disappearing just before the bottom of the hill and reappearing at the top of the hill. Above them, an angel bobbed, its arms spread wide in exaltation.

Impressed and happy to have seen it, Antonio entered the shop to find almost the exact same scene as before. This time, however, Arthur seemed to be working on something clockwork, the teddy Antonio had bought by his side. It now wore a little suit with a top hat and held a cane in one paw. Antonio felt the sudden urge to hug it – and, when Arthur's head shot up at the sound of the bell, he found himself wanting to hug Arthur.

"Ah! There you are," Arthur said, shyly smiling. "Your teddy is finished. Thank you for your purchase."

"And I'm going to make another one!" Antonio declared.

"What?" said Arthur, blinking at him.

"My friend's cousin has a kid. They're rather artistic and I was wondering if you had anything for them?"

"Wouldn't it be better to get them something from an art shop?" Arthur suggested.

"I want to get them a toy," Antonio explained. He leaned on the counter, looking over the little cogs spread across the counter. A box was at one side of them, its lid open as Arthur appeared to be in the middle of fitting something cylindrical within it. An ornamental flamenco dancer lay beside it. "Maybe something they can put on display? Like that nativity scene – that's incredible!"

Arthur tucked the screwdriver behind his ear. "I, um, I suppose I have something like that..." He stood from where he'd been sitting and Antonio ran his eyes over the toy maker. Again, he wore a Christmas jumper, this one black with white writing saying, _Ho Bloody Ho_. It seemed a little big for him and its arms flopped down over his hands now that he wasn't keeping them at bay. Tight, black jeans made Antonio stare, unable to tear his gaze away. It was even worse when Arthur bent over to pull something from underneath a table.

When he straightened, Antonio forced himself to look at what he had in his hands, despite how hard his heart was beating. Fortunately, it proved a mighty distraction as his eyes widened. "Oh, wow," he said as he looked at a foot tall, metallic painter standing in front of an empty easel, brush at the ready. A little key stuck out of the base it stood on.

Setting it on the counter, Arthur took hold of the key. "Watch," he said and quickly turned the key a few times. Antonio did as he was told as the painter came to life, the paintbrush moving gently against the easel in a series of specific strokes. It stopped for a few moments before repeating them. Eventually, the painter stopped. "The reason it stops," Arthur explained as he opened a small compartment at the back of the base, "is so that you can change the 'canvas' between paintings." He showed Antonio the little bits of cardboard, just the right size for the miniature easel. Showing Antonio how to prop them up so they didn't fall off, Arthur placed one on it and pulled the brush head off the one in the painter's hand. "These little brush heads," he explained as he attached one tipped with green, "have these sort of little pens in place of the bristles. Watch." And, again, he started up the painter. The little mechanical man sent his brush across the canvas and created a little green house. Arthur quickly changed the canvas so he could hand it to Antonio. "What do you think?"

"It's perfect," Antonio cried. "I'll take it."

Snorting with amusement, Arthur rung it up and accepted his money. "I hope these people like these presents," he said as he packed the clockwork toy into a box.

"I'm sure they'll love them," Antonio told him. "I do."

"Thank you," said Arthur, smiling down at the box.

"Actually, can I get what you're making now?"

"What?!" exclaimed Arthur, looking up. "Why would you want...?" He trailed off and gestured at the mess before them.

Antonio reached out and picked up the little flamenco dancer, holding it. However Arthur had made it, it was beautiful, the metal painted in shining reds and blacks. The person on it had the same skin colour as Antonio and he felt his heart flutter. "This looks beautiful." He stopped himself from saying more but caught Arthur's eye and smiled.

Flustered, Arthur tore his gaze away and shrugged. "Thank you," he murmured. There was a short pause. "Would you like to pay now or later?"

* * *

A few days later, Antonio was back at the shop. Arthur came through from the back when he heard the bell, his jumper a dark green with little pictures of elves on it. Antonio noted that he was wearing blue jeans this time, unfortunately not as tight as before. He was carrying a steaming mug and smiled when he saw it was Antonio. His heart skipped a beat.

"Antonio," he said, sounding fond. It sent shivers down Antonio's spine.

"Hi, Arthur." Antonio practically skipped across the shop. "Is it finished?"

"Yes," Arthur replied, placing the mug on the counter and reaching under it. "You're eager."

"I like coming in here."

"I know," said Arthur, placing the music box on the counter. "You've told other people. They've been in. Thank you." Arthur was so earnest that Antonio couldn't help but smile.

"There's no need to thank me," he told the toy maker. "I'd tell the whole world, if I could."

Arthur laughed. "You're kind of ridiculous, you know that, right?" He reached out for the box. "Listen." Opening the lid made the flamenco dancer pop up and start to twirl. Music tinkled and, after a moment, Antonio recognised it.

"Is that the Spanish national anthem?" he asked, amused.

"Yes. Someone gave me the cylinder so I made the flamenco dancer. I know it's not the right tune for it, but..."

Seeing Arthur tapping at the counter nervously, Antonio smiled. "Thank you. I love it."

"You're welcome." Arthur paused. "I suppose this will be the last time I'll see you for a while. Until the children have their birthdays?"

Antonio's heart sank. "Do you not want me to come in again?" he asked, eyes wide.

Arthur looked shocked. "What-? No! I... I thought you wouldn't want to come in..."

They looked at each other, trying to find hints from their expressions. Arthur looked somewhat hopeful but also cautious and resigned, as if he would accept defeat. Antonio did not like that expression. "Maybe I don't have an excuse to come back in but if you'll come get dinner with me after you shut the shop, I'll be able to see you again."

"I- What? You...?" Arthur looked so shocked that Antonio wasn't surprised when his face turned red.

"Please?" asked Antonio, leaning across the counter. "Please say yes!"

Arthur hesitated. He stared at Antonio, looking quite tense. Then, finally, he relaxed, a smile gracing his face. "I shut the shop at five."


End file.
